U.S. Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Evacuation Route Planning

On January 17, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-California) and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) introduced the Emergency Vehicle and Community (EVAC) Planning Act, which would develop guidelines designed to improve emergency evacuation preparedness for state and local governments. In recent years, limited evacuation routes have become heavily congested during wildfire emergencies, preventing escape from the flames.  The EVAC Planning Act would direct the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop and distribute guidance for states, territories, Tribes, and local governments to use when conducting transportation infrastructure planning. The Act is endorsed by the National Association of Counties (NACo). Read more about the bill here: one-pager | full text